Summer Weather in the Icebox

By Russell Russ

The weather this June was very typical for Norfolk summer weather. Following a not so beautiful month of May, June came in with decent weather for most of the month. Numerous days in the mid to upper eighties and even two days in the nineties will certainly remind everyone that summer is here. Unfortunately, summer warmth often brings summer humidity and there were many days with uncomfortably high dew points. Here in Norfolk, higher in elevation and far from the big cities, we are often protected from having extended periods with oppressive heat and humidity. We get it, but it usually only lasts for a few days at a time before the weather changes.

June’s low temperature of 42 degrees was observed on June 3 and the high of 93 degrees was observed on June 24. There were three days with record high daily temperatures; June 5 with 88 (was 87 in 1932), June 23 with 92 (was 89 in 1943) and June 24 with 93 (was 88 in 1938). A high of 88 on June 25 just missed the 1943 record of 89. Through June, with two days recording temperatures in the 90’s, Norfolk is nearly at its average number of days for hitting 90 degrees or above for the year. With an average monthly mean temperature of 66.0 degrees, it was 2.6 degrees above normal. This June was tied with June 1994 and June 2020 for being Norfolk’s 10th warmest June on record. Norfolk’s warmest June was in 1943 with 68.3 degrees, the coolest was in 1958 with 58.8 degrees.

The total precipitation recorded for the month was 3.62 inches, 1.19 inches below normal. This was below normal, but not high ranking for being dry. Rainfall was evenly distributed throughout the month. There were two thunderstorms observed at the weather station this month, neither were severe. Norfolk’s driest June was in 1988 when only 0.61 inch was recorded. The wettest was in 2013 with 13.38 inches.

For the first half of 2025, Norfolk’s total precipitation amount was 22.89 inches. This is 2.53 inches below normal and 5.58 inches less than last year’s total through June. So far, the yearly precipitation amount for 2025 has been similar to what we saw in 2023.

On average, the month of July is Norfolk’s warmest month of the year. July this year certainly lived up to this general statement. Through July 21, fifteen days had recorded temperatures in the 80’s, with most of those being in the mid to upper 80’s. Nighttime temperatures stayed warm, and the humidity level was high. Even the Icebox of Connecticut gets hot and humid during the summer. There were no days when temperatures topped 90 degrees and there were no new daily temperature records set, but this July (as of July 21) was still ranking as Norfolk’s 2nd warmest July AND 2nd warmest of any month on record. Being ranked 2nd out of every month over the last 94 years is saying something. Things could change over the month’s final ten days, but it is a safe bet that it will come in very high ranking for warmth.

Weather observations are recorded by the Great Mountain Forest at Norfolk’s National Weather Service Cooperative Weather Observer Station, Norfolk 2SW.